Iain White News

The route to compliance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 0.5 percent global sulphur cap is unclear for many vessel operators, according to a marine industry survey conducted by ExxonMobil. Some 70 percent of respondents saying that they do not believe the industry is ready for the deadline, highlighting an ongoing sense of confusion and lack of preparedness. The makeup of the marine fuel mix in 2020 and beyond is an area of concern, with wide-ranging views from the industry on how the landscape will evolve.

In-depth data analysis of more than 400,000 oil samples from ExxonMobil’s MobilGard Cylinder Condition Monitoring (CCM) program has identified the wide range of potentially damaging engine issues facing vessel operators. With operators challenged by continued economic pressures and changing regulations, the need to protect engines and drive operational efficiencies is more important than ever. MobilGard CCM is designed to help optimize engine protection and minimize operating costs.

Athens-based Costamare Shipping has more than tripled the piston ring replacement period to more than 55,000 hours for containership Cosco Yantian, helping the company reduce costs and improve vessel performance. According to ExxonMobil, the life extension was achieved by switching the container vessel to its Mobilgard 570 cylinder oil in combination with the MobilGard Cylinder Condition Monitoring (CCM) program. The expected piston overhaul interval for the Cosco Yantian’s MAN Diesel & Turbo 12K98MC MK7 engine was 16,000 hours of unmonitored operation. Following a consultation with ExxonMobil’s Field Engineers, it was suggested that the vessel operator introduce Mobilgard 570 and the MobilGard CCM program.

Videotel, the international provider of e-Learning maritime training solutions and a company of KVH Industries, Inc., has received a Golden Reel Award from the Media Communications Association-International (MCA-I) in recognition of a training video that Videotel created for ExxonMobil Marine. Called "Cold Corrosion Insights," the video was produced for ExxonMobil Marine and explores the harmful effects of acid corrosion in ships' engines, which can reduce the lifespan of an engine by up to 90% in some cases.

January 1, 2015 is an important date for ship owner and operators to ensure that their vessels, when operating inside ECA zones, are doing so in compliance with strict new emission edicts concerning the emission of sulfur. – to discuss some of the technical and logistical matters you must consider. The move to low sulfur fuels is well recorded, but from your point of view, describe the situation that ship owners face regarding fuel selection and cylinder lubrication come January 1, 2015?

Nothing stirs the maritime pot like new regulation, and coming soon to you (in less than a month) is the new iteration of the Vessel General Permit (VGP). The VGP applies to vessels operating in a capacity as a means of transportation, that have discharges incidental to their normal operations into waters subject to this permit, except recreational vessels. Unless otherwise excluded from coverage, the waters subject to this permit means “territorial seas” of the U.S. The Clean Water Act (CWA) does not require NPDES permits for vessels or other floating craft operating as a means of transportation beyond the territorial seas, such as in the contiguous zone or ocean. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a replacement VGP permit under its authority from the CWA.

ExxonMobil Marine Fuels and Lubricants upgraded its marine engine condition monitoring program. The MobilGard cylinder condition monitoring (CCM) program now has the functionality for onboard oil samples to be compared against ExxonMobil’s database of nearly 100,000 test results, helping operators to protect and optimize the performance of their engines, the company said.“The upgrade of the MobilGard CCM program comes at a time when engine builders continue to push the boundaries in developing next generation models…

Ever tightening environmental regulation in the maritime sector means that effective fuel and lube management onboard ships will become a defining issue for vessel owners; a bigger factor in profit versus loss. With new international and regional regulations come new technologies, and when a company the size of ExxonMobil talks, people tend to listen. We sat with Iain White, field marketing manager, ExxonMobil Marine Limited, in Germany earlier this fall to discuss the company’s largest product launch ever.

ExxonMobil Marine Lubricants completed the first bulk delivery of Mobilgard 570 cylinder oil in the Port of Shanghai in May. The bulk delivery of Mobilgard 570 was made by Hai Gong You 30, the first double-hulled marine lubricants-delivery barge to operate in Shanghai. Built and owned by China Marine Bunker PetroChina Co. Ltd (Chimbusco), the IMO-compliant barge is 278 deadweight tonnes. It is equipped with state-of-the-art flow meter technology and a 1.5 metric ton crane to ensure accurate and efficient deliveries. The barge is on charter to ExxonMobil for two years.

bunkering team worldwide with effect from January 1, 2004. Marketing, based in Houston. to become General Manager Americas, EMMF Fuels Marketing Division. Lubricants, Marine & Aviation Lubricant Sales. Manager Marketing and Supply, EMMF Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, based in Singapore. Aviation Manager for Asia Pacific. planning and analysis.

ExxonMobil Marine Fuels (EMMF) has re-entered the Gibraltar bunker supply market, after an absence of two years. EMMF has secured availability of a full range of products, including fuel oil, diesel and gas oil, in Gibraltar. Iain White, business development manager at EMMF, says, " Gibraltar is a strategically important center for the supply of marine bunkers. We are delighted to have re-established our presence in what is a vital part of the Mediterranean bunker supply chain, and look forward to welcoming both old and new customers to our facilities there."